Things to Do in Milan: Our Favourite Attractions, Food and Tips

We’ve visited Milan a number of times over the years. We have friends who live there, which means we’ve had the chance to explore beyond the obvious tourist trail and get to know the city properly.

Milan is Italy’s second largest city and the capital of Lombardy. Most people know it as a fashion capital, but there’s a lot more going on here than designer shopping. The city has world-class art (including one of the most famous paintings on the planet), an incredible cathedral, fantastic food, and a surprisingly good evening scene along its old canal district.

In this guide, I’ll share our favourite things to do in Milan, starting with a suggested walking route for your first day in the city. After that, I’ll cover more things to do if you have extra time, along with practical tips on getting around, where to stay, and how to save money.

If you’re looking for a more structured multi-day plan, we also have a guide to spending 2 days in Milan.

One Perfect Day in Milan

If you only have a day in Milan, this walking route covers the highlights in a logical order. We’ve done this walk ourselves and it works well, though you should feel free to adjust it based on your interests and energy levels.

One important note before you start: several of the churches on this route enforce a dress code (shoulders and knees covered, for both men and women). The Last Supper is inside an active convent and has the same requirement. If you’re visiting in summer, bring something to cover up with rather than risk being turned away.

Morning: The Last Supper and San Maurizio

Start your day early at Santa Maria delle Grazie, where you’ll find Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper painted on the wall of the convent’s former dining hall.

This is one of those artworks that you think you know from reproductions, but seeing it in person is a completely different experience. The sense of perspective is extraordinary. Da Vinci designed the composition so that the painting appears to extend the room it’s in, and all the leading lines converge on the central figure of Christ. The emotion on each apostle’s face as they react to Jesus announcing his betrayal is remarkably vivid.

Unfortunately, Da Vinci experimented with unfamiliar techniques when creating the mural, which meant it started deteriorating almost immediately after completion in 1498. What you see today is the result of a 21-year restoration project finished in 1999. Much of the original has been lost, but the work is still hugely impressive.

Visiting requires some planning. Only 40 people are allowed in per 15-minute time slot, and everyone enters and leaves together. Tickets cost €15 per person (under 18 free), with a maximum of 5 tickets per online purchase and 5 per buyer per calendar year. They sell out months in advance on the official site.

The first time I visited Milan I didn’t know any of this and missed out entirely. On a return trip, I was able to visit by taking this walking tour with TakeWalks, which includes Last Supper tickets. Tour groups have access to a separate ticket allocation, so they often have availability when individual tickets are sold out. Our guide also took us through the church afterwards and explained more about Leonardo’s time in Milan, which was really valuable since there’s almost no information inside the room itself.

If TakeWalks doesn’t have availability for your dates, this GYG tour is a similar option that includes skip-the-line Duomo access as well.

A few practical things: you’ll need photo ID that matches the name on your booking to collect tickets. No food, drinks (including water bottles), backpacks, or bulky items are allowed inside. There are free lockers at the entrance, but leave time to use them before your slot. Photography was permitted when we visited (no flash, no selfie sticks, no video).

 

From Santa Maria delle Grazie, it’s a five-minute walk to the Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore. This early 16th century church is sometimes called Milan’s Sistine Chapel, and while that’s a bold claim, the interior does justify it. Every surface is covered in 16th century frescoes depicting scenes from the life of Saint Maurice through to the story of Noah’s Ark.

The church is divided into two halves. One was for the general public; the other was the Hall of Nuns, where the Benedictine nuns would observe mass through a grating. Until the late 18th century, the nuns weren’t permitted to cross into the public worship area.

It’s free to visit, though we’d suggest leaving a donation as it’s kept open by volunteers. The church is attached to a former Benedictine convent which now houses the Civic Archaeological Museum, worth a visit if you’re interested in Milan’s Roman history.

 

Coffee Break: Starbucks Reserve Roastery or Marchesi 1824

You’ve earned a coffee. You have two good options within a few minutes’ walk.

The Starbucks Reserve Roastery is about a 10-minute walk from San Maurizio. This was Italy’s first Starbucks, and they clearly put thought into making it work in a country with very strong opinions about coffee. It’s housed in the former Milan Stock Exchange and central post office, and the interior is impressive. You can watch the entire coffee roasting process happening in front of you, and the menu goes well beyond a standard Starbucks. The coffee and mocktails we had here were really good.

If you’d prefer something more traditionally Italian, Marchesi 1824 is a couple of minutes’ walk from San Maurizio in the other direction. Founded in 1824, it’s one of Milan’s oldest cafes and pastry shops, with a lovely old-world interior. A quick espresso and pastry here is the more Milanese option. Marchesi is now owned by Prada (because of course it is), and there’s a second location inside the Prada store at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

 

Late Morning: The Duomo

From either coffee stop, it’s about a five-minute walk to the Duomo di Milano, Milan’s spectacular Gothic cathedral and the largest church in Italy.

The Duomo took almost 600 years to build, with construction starting in 1386 and only officially finishing in 1965. That extended timeline means the building spans both the Gothic and Renaissance periods, drawing on contrasting architectural styles that somehow work together.

Inside, you’ll find the world’s largest gothic vaults, beautiful stained-glass windows, altars, sarcophagi, and statues. One of the more memorable (and slightly unsettling) statues depicts Saint Bartholomew holding his own flayed skin. The cathedral’s most important relic is a nail believed to be from the crucifixion of Christ, celebrated each year with the Rito della Nivola.

Underneath the cathedral, accessed from the interior, is the Archaeological Area where you can see excavated remains of the 4th century Baptisteries of Saint John and Santa Tecla.

The part we’d most recommend is the rooftop. The roof is a huge space filled with gothic spires, and the views across Milan are excellent. You can go up by stairs (cheaper, a good workout) or by lift. On a clear day you can see the Alps.

There’s also a separate Duomo Museum in a building next to the cathedral, which contains art and other elements from the building.

Different tickets are available depending on which areas you want to visit. Cathedral plus museum is €10 for adults, or you can add rooftop access: €22 for the combo with stairs, €26 for the combo with lift. Rooftop-only tickets are also available (€16 stairs, €18-28 lift). You can buy tickets here, or book a guided tour here.

If you’re planning to visit multiple attractions in Milan, a city pass can save you a fair bit of money. The Duomo rooftop is included on both the YesMilano City Pass and the Milan Pass. We compare both options later in this guide.

This is an active place of worship, so a dress code applies: shoulders and knees covered, for both men and women. We’ve seen people turned away for not following this, especially in summer.

In front of the Duomo is the Piazza del Duomo, a vast square that’s a good spot for photos of the cathedral. A word of advice: don’t feed the pigeons. It’s not good for them or for the people who work around and clean the square.

 

Afternoon: The Galleria, La Scala, and Brera

Right next to the Duomo, you’ll find the entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest shopping malls. It opened in 1877 and consists of two intersecting glass-topped arcades with a huge glass and metalwork dome where they meet. On the floor beneath the dome there’s a beautiful mosaic depicting the coats of arms of the three historic capitals of the Kingdom of Italy (Turin, Florence, and Rome), alongside the Milanese coat of arms.

You don’t need a Prada budget to enjoy this place. The architecture alone is worth the visit. And if you do want a drink, the Camparino in Galleria is right by the entrance closest to the Duomo. This bar has been serving Campari-based drinks since 1915. I’m a Campari Spritz person myself (I prefer it to the more popular Aperol Spritz every time), and this is about the most appropriate place in the world to drink one.

One thing many visitors do at the Galleria is find the mosaic of a bull (part of Turin’s coat of arms) and spin around on their heel in the depression worn into the tile. It’s supposed to bring good luck. There are many opinions about which heel to use and how many times to spin. Traditionally, Italians only did this on one specific day of the year, so these days it’s mostly a tourist ritual. But it’s a bit of fun, and the people-watching opportunities are good.

A minute’s walk from the Galleria brings you to the Teatro alla Scala, one of the world’s most famous opera houses. Dating from 1778, this is where productions like Madame Butterfly had their premieres, and where the world’s greatest opera singers have performed.

If you’d like to attend a performance, book well in advance through the official website. If you just want to see inside, you can visit the museum (which gives you access to some of the theatre’s boxes, depending on the rehearsal schedule) or take a guided behind-the-scenes tour. The guided tours have limited availability and are more expensive, but they’re much more comprehensive. Check times and prices on the museum website. Museum access is also included on the Milan Pass.

From La Scala, it’s a 10-minute walk north to the Pinacoteca di Brera. This was probably our favourite art museum in Milan. It’s the main public gallery dedicated to Italian paintings, spanning the 13th through to the 20th century, with works by Raphael, Bramantino, Mantegna, and Canaletto among many others. We particularly liked the Canaletto paintings, largely because we have a soft spot for Venice.

Something else we found interesting were the public displays of restoration work on various paintings. You can actually see the restorers at work, which is quite fascinating.

There’s a fee to visit, and when we last went you needed to pre-book your ticket online. Check opening times and prices on the official website.

 

Evening: Aperitivo in the Navigli District

For your evening, head south to the Navigli district. It’s about a 20-minute metro ride (nearest stop is Porta Genova FS), or you can take a hop on hop off bus.

This is where you’ll find what remains of Milan’s canal system. The city originally had five canals dating back to the 12th century, built to connect landlocked Milan to Italy’s lake system for trade and transport. The marble for the Duomo would likely have been transported by canal. Leonardo Da Vinci is also said to have been involved with improvements to the canal system in the 15th century, and given that he was working for the Duke of Milan at the time, there’s a good chance he did.

Today two canals remain, the Naviglio Grande and the Naviglio Pavese, forming a triangle that’s now lined with cafes, bars, restaurants, art galleries, and bookshops. It’s a great spot for aperitivo, the northern Italian tradition of a pre-dinner drink with snacks.

For traditional Milanese food in the area, Osteria Conchetta is a good option. They do a risotto alla Milanese prepared tableside in a cheese wheel, and their ossobuco is excellent. If you want somewhere more atmospheric right on the canal, El Brellin is set by a former washhouse on Vicolo dei Lavandai, with a menu focused on traditional Lombard dishes.

Prices in the Navigli district are a bit higher than in other parts of Milan, which is the trade-off for the location. I always come here for a drink and a meal when I’m in Milan though, and it’s never disappointed.

In the warmer months you can also take a canal cruise, which you can book here. You can also visit the Navigli area on an aperitivo tour like this.

 

More Things to Do in Milan

The walking route above covers a solid day, but Milan has plenty more to offer if you have extra time. Here are some of our other favourite things to see and do in the city.

Castello Sforzesco

The Sforza family ruled Milan from 1450 through to 1535, and during that time they built the massive Castello Sforzesco on top of the remains of a 14th century castle. It had to work as both a fortress and a residence, so they hired the finest artisans of the day, including Leonardo da Vinci and Bramante, to make sure it looked as good as it was defensible. At the time, it was one of the largest fortresses in Europe.

Today, a large part of the castle still survives. The grounds are free to visit, and inside the castle you’ll find eight museums covering everything from Renaissance art and ancient sculptures to musical instruments, Egyptian artefacts, and armour. The collection also includes Michelangelo’s last known sculpture, the unfinished Rondanini Pietà. Compared to his famous Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, it’s a very different, rawer work, but worth seeing if you’re here.

Entry to the Castle Museums costs €5 (€3 reduced). One ticket covers all eight museums, which is excellent value considering how much there is. You can spend a couple of hours here easily. Check opening times on the official website. It’s also included on the 3-day Tourist Museum Card.

 

Parco Sempione

This 95-acre park is right next to Castello Sforzesco and was designed in 1888 in the style of an English garden. It was specifically planned to give visitors panoramic views of both the castle and the Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace) at the opposite end, and it does this well.

On weekends, especially in warmer months, the park fills with locals. You’ll find ice-cream vendors, musicians, drumming circles, kids playing, and families picnicking. It’s a good place to take a break from sightseeing.

Inside the park is the 108-metre (354 ft) Branca Tower, a panoramic viewing tower with an elevator to the top. The views across the city are excellent. You can buy tickets in advance here.

Also in the park (with the entrance from outside) is the Triennale, a museum for design and architecture.

 

Porta Nuova and Bosco Verticale

If you only associate Milan with Gothic cathedrals and Renaissance art, the Porta Nuova district will change your mind. This modern business and residential area, a short walk north of the historic centre, is home to some of Italy’s most striking contemporary architecture.

The centrepiece is the Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest), a pair of residential towers covered in more than 900 trees and 20,000 plants. The buildings are worth a detour just to see from the ground. The surrounding Piazza Gae Aulenti is a modern public square with shops, restaurants, and a distinctive fountain, all set against the sleek lines of the UniCredit Tower, Italy’s tallest building.

The area is free to explore and makes for good photography, especially at sunset. The nearest metro stop is Garibaldi FS (M2/M5).

 

Shoah Memorial

Milan’s central train station was the deportation point for the Jewish community of northern Italy during the Second World War. Platform 21, an underground loading area originally designed for freight, was used to load Jewish prisoners onto livestock freight cars in the early mornings, before raising the cars to track level and dispatching them to the concentration camps. The majority of those who passed through were killed, primarily at Auschwitz.

The underground platform was largely forgotten for decades. In 2013, it reopened as the Memoriale della Shoah di Milano. It is the only surviving deportation facility of its kind that can be visited anywhere in the world.

A visit starts with an introduction by a staff member. You then see the deportation platform, a railway car that was actually used for deportations, a wall of names, testimonials, and places for reflection. There is also a library and bookshop.

There’s a fee to visit. It’s normally closed on Fridays, and guided tours are generally available on weekends (book in advance). Check opening times and prices on the official website.

One other thing to look out for around Milan: the Stolpersteine, or “Stumbling Stones.” These small brass plaques set into the pavement mark the locations where Jewish people lived before being deported. The first ones in Milan were placed in 2017.

 

San Siro Stadium

Football fans should consider a visit to San Siro. Built in 1925 as the home ground for A.C. Milan, it became the shared home of both A.C. Milan and Inter Milan in 1947. With a capacity of 80,018, it’s the largest stadium in Italy.

San Siro has had a busy recent history. In February 2026 it hosted the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. And in November 2025, both clubs jointly purchased the stadium and surrounding land for €197 million, commissioning architects Foster + Partners and MANICA to design a new 71,500-seat replacement stadium. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the new venue targeted for completion around 2030-31. The current stadium will continue hosting matches until then, so if you want to visit the original San Siro, now is the time.

You can visit for a match if you’re in town at the right time, or take a stadium tour and visit the on-site museum most days. Tours include the locker rooms of both teams, the players’ tunnel, and the pitch. The stadium is on Metro Line 5 (San Siro Stadium stop). You can check availability and book on the official website.

If you’re specifically an A.C. Milan fan, you can also visit Casa Milan, an interactive museum dedicated to the club’s history. It’s at a separate location (nearest metro: Lotto or Portello). You can book tickets for Casa Milan online here.

 

Cimitero Monumentale

Cimitero Monumentale is the main cemetery of Milan’s elite, and even if you don’t recognise the names of those buried here, the tombs themselves are worth seeing. Many families went to considerable lengths to make sure they were remembered. You’ll find everything from a pyramid decorated with a sphinx to towering angels and a life-sized bronze version of the Last Supper.

The main entrance is through the Famedio, or “Temple of Fame”, a huge building originally designed as a Catholic chapel. Several well-known Italians are buried here or in the crypt below. Beyond the Famedio, the cemetery is divided by faith, with the largest section for Catholic burials and separate areas for Non-Catholics and Jewish people.

The cemetery is free to visit. There’s a small tourist office on the left when you arrive, where you can pick up a map. English-language information is limited, so if you want context, consider joining this 1.5-hour guided tour.

It’s about a 20-minute walk from Castello Sforzesco, or you can take the metro to Monumentale station.

 

San Bernardino alle Ossa

This Catholic church, just a five-minute walk from the Duomo, doesn’t look like much from the outside. Inside, it’s a pretty church with one very unusual feature: a small side chapel entirely decorated with human bones.

The bone chapel (ossuary) exists because in 1210, the cemetery next to the church ran out of space. So the bones were stored in a specially built room, where they’ve remained ever since, arranged into patterns on the walls and ceiling. If you’ve seen the Capuchin Crypt in Rome, this has a similar feel on a smaller scale.

The church is free to visit. The ossuary is just to the right of the main entrance.

 

Piazza dei Mercanti

The Piazza dei Mercanti, or Merchant’s Square, is the former medieval centre of Milan. It’s much smaller than it was in the Middle Ages, but it’s worth a quick stop since it’s so close to the Piazza del Duomo and easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there.

You’ll find four main buildings here, including a 13th century broletto (the city’s administrative capital at the time), two palaces, and an early 14th century loggia. In the centre there’s a pit surrounded by two columns, dating from the 16th century.

 

Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio

The Duomo gets all the attention, but the Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio is one of the oldest churches in Milan, originally founded in 379 by St. Ambrose, the city’s patron saint. He established it at a location where numerous martyrs were buried, and his own remains are interred here.

The version you see today dates from the early 12th century, rebuilt in the Romanesque style. The church is slightly unusual in that it has two towers, reflecting how it was shared between two religious groups (monks and canons). The monks built their tower in the 9th century; the canons, not allowed to use it, built their own in the 12th century.

The basilica is open to visitors. You can find more about visiting on the official website.

 

Roman Sites in Milan

Milan was known as Mediolanum during Roman times and was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. For a period, it was the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Not much of Roman Milan is visible above ground today, but there are traces if you know where to look.

In front of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, you’ll find the Colonne di San Lorenzo, large Corinthian columns believed to date from the 2nd century. They likely came from a temple or public bath house.

You can also see a small remnant of the Palazzo Imperiale di Massimiano, built by Emperor Maximian when Milan was the imperial capital. Remains of Roman walls and a tower from the 3rd century can be found in the courtyard of the Archaeological Museum, which is worth visiting if you want to see more Roman, Greek, and Etruscan artefacts.

 

Museo del Novecento

The Museo del Novecento is an art museum focusing on 20th century art, located right next to the Duomo. The permanent collection takes you chronologically through the 1900s, with works by Italian artists including Amedeo Modigliani, Carlo Carrà, and Umberto Boccioni, alongside international names like Picasso, Matisse, and Paul Klee. There are also regularly changing temporary exhibitions.

There’s a fee to visit. Check prices and opening times on the official website. The museum is included on the Tourist Museum Card.

 

More Museums in Milan

Milan has museums covering everything from science to fashion to Renaissance decorative arts. Here are some others you might consider:

The Museum of Science and Technology is Italy’s largest, housed in a former monastery and dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. The Bagatti Valsecchi Museum is a historic house museum with Renaissance art and furnishings. The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana is an art gallery founded in 1618 with works by Da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Raphael. The Natural History Museum is a great option for families, with dioramas and exhibits covering the natural world. And Gallerie d’Italia, near La Scala, focuses on 19th and 20th century Italian art.

Some of these are covered by one or more of the city passes mentioned later in this guide, so if you plan to visit several, check whether a pass would save you money.

 

Fondazione Prada

If you’re interested in contemporary art and architecture, the Fondazione Prada is worth a detour. This art space, designed by Rem Koolhaas’s OMA architecture firm, is housed in a former distillery in the south of the city. The complex mixes original industrial buildings with new structures clad in gold leaf and mirrored surfaces, and the exhibitions rotate regularly. There’s also Bar Luce, a cafe designed by filmmaker Wes Anderson.

The Fondazione is a bit outside the main tourist area (nearest metro: Lodi TIBB on the M3 line), but it makes a good pairing with a visit to the Navigli district, which is in the same part of the city.

 

Try Milanese Food

Milan has its own distinct cuisine, and it’s quite different from what you might expect if you’ve mostly eaten food from central or southern Italy. Rice and polenta dishes are much more common here than pasta, and there’s a strong tradition of hearty, slow-cooked meats. The most famous local cheese is Grana Padano, which you’ll find on most cheeseboards alongside the local salami.

Some of the dishes you should look out for include risotto alla Milanese, a simple saffron risotto that gets its golden colour from the spice (often served alongside ossobuco or roasted bone marrow). Ossobuco itself is braised veal shanks, and cotoletta alla Milanese is a breaded and fried veal cutlet that’s served everywhere. Stuffed pastas like ravioli and casoncelli are common in the region, often filled with a mixture of cheese, meat, and herbs.

In winter, look for cassouela, a hearty pork and Savoy cabbage stew that’s often served with polenta. And for something sweet, panettone is Milan’s most famous contribution to the dessert world. It’s traditionally a Christmas bread filled with dried fruit, but you can usually find it year-round. We’ve had it for Christmas ourselves.

For traditional Milanese food in a restaurant setting, Osteria Conchetta in the Navigli area does a risotto alla Milanese prepared tableside in a Grana Padano cheese wheel, and their ossobuco is excellent. If you don’t have a lot of time but want to try several local foods, a food tour is a good option. This small group gourmet food tour covers several locations with tastings and drinks. This evening aperitivo tour focuses on drinks and street food in the Navigli area. And if you’d prefer to learn to cook, this pasta making and tiramisu class in a local’s home is a fun option.

You can see more food-themed tours in Milan on GetYourGuide here.

 

Drink Campari

If you’re wondering what to drink for your aperitivo, let me put in a word for Campari. This bitter Italian liquor was invented in 1860 in Novara, about 50km west of Milan, with production starting in 1904 at a plant in the Milanese suburb of Sesto San Giovanni.

I’m a Campari Spritz person over an Aperol Spritz every time, and Milan is the right city for it. You’ll find Campari cocktails everywhere, but for the full experience, head to the Camparino in Galleria, inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II by the entrance closest to the Duomo. Gaspare Campari opened it as a wine shop in the Galleria; in 1915 it became a bar, and it’s been serving Campari-based drinks for over a century.

Beyond the spritz, Campari is the base for a negroni (gin, vermouth, and Campari), an americano (sweet vermouth, soda water, and Campari), a Garibaldi (with orange juice), or a pirlo (with still white wine). And if you feel it’s too early for a cocktail, they do coffee too. This is Italy, after all.

 

Go Shopping in Milan

Milan hosts Milan Fashion Week twice a year (you can see dates on the Camera Moda website), but you don’t need to visit during Fashion Week to take advantage of the shopping.

For high-end designer wear, head to the Quadrilatero della Moda (literally “fashion square”), where you’ll find the highest concentration of Italian design houses and boutiques. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is another good spot for luxury brands.

If you’re looking for bargains, the Serravalle Designer Outlet is about an hour from Milan, with over 200 stores including Versace, Gucci, Armani, Prada, and Nike. You can get there by train or book a round-trip shuttle here.

 

Walking Tours of Milan

One of our favourite ways to explore a new city is on a walking tour. Here are some we’d recommend in Milan:

The TakeWalks 3-hour walking tour is the one we did, covering the city highlights plus Last Supper tickets and Duomo access. If that’s fully booked, this GYG tour or this one are good alternatives that also include the Last Supper.

For food, this gourmet food tour covers several tasting locations, and this aperitivo tour focuses on drinks and street food in the Navigli area. For something different, this cemetery tour is a good way to see the highlights of Cimitero Monumentale, and this evening tour takes you around the historic centre at night.

 

Sightseeing Passes in Milan

We always check whether a city pass would save money when visiting somewhere new. Milan has two main passes worth considering, and the right one depends on what you’re planning to do.

YesMilano City Pass (Official)

The YesMilano City Pass is the official city pass and the better value option for most visitors.

The Flash pass (€39.90, 24 hours) includes unlimited public transport, one Duomo experience of your choice (rooftop by stairs or museum), and one extra attraction. This is a good option for a short visit.

The Standard pass (€60, 3 days) is where the real value is. You get unlimited public transport, Duomo cathedral plus rooftop by stairs, Sforza Castle museums, and six civic museums: Civic Aquarium, Modern Art Gallery, Archaeological Museum, Museo del Novecento, and Natural History Museum. You also get to pick one premium museum from a list that includes La Scala Museum, the Science and Technology Museum, and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana among others.

The All-Inclusive pass (€90, 3 days) upgrades you to Duomo rooftop by lift and gives you access to all premium museums rather than just one.

To put the Standard in context: the Duomo combo ticket with rooftop stairs (€22), Sforza Castle entry (€5), and a 3-day transport ticket alone would cost more than €40. Add La Scala Museum entry and even one civic museum and the pass has paid for itself. It’s fully digital, managed through the YesMilano app.

Milan Pass

The Milan Pass takes a different approach. Starting from €89 for 48 hours (€99 with public transport), it’s built around the hop on hop off sightseeing bus, with La Scala Museum access, Duomo with rooftop, and a Navigli canal cruise (seasonal).

It doesn’t cover the Sforza Castle museums or the civic museum network, so for sightseeing value the YesMilano Standard is hard to beat. The Milan Pass makes more sense if you want the hop on hop off bus as your main way of getting around, or if the canal cruise is a priority.

Neither pass includes Last Supper tickets. Those need to be booked separately on the official site or through a guided tour.

 

How to Get Around Milan

Milan’s historic centre is fairly compact and walkable, but when you need to cover longer distances, the city has an excellent public transport system.

The metro is usually the fastest option. There are five lines: M1 (Red), M2 (Green), M3 (Yellow), M4 (Blue), and M5 (Lilac). The M4 Blue line is the newest, completed in late 2024, and connects Linate Airport directly to the city centre, which is very convenient if you’re flying in.

A single metro/bus/tram ticket costs €2.20, or you can buy a day pass for €7.60. You can purchase tickets at metro stations, newsstands, or via the ATM Milano app on your phone (the app also supports Apple Pay and contactless payment).

Milan’s tram network is also worth using, partly because it’s practical and partly because the vintage trams are great to look at. Some of these are the same models you’ll find in San Francisco, where about ten of Milan’s old trams were shipped and are still running today.

There are also hop on hop off buses covering the main sights, plus bikes and e-scooters available through smartphone apps.

 

Where to Stay in Milan

Milan has plenty of accommodation at every price point. Here are some options we’d suggest, ordered roughly from budget to high-end.

Ostello Bello is a centrally located hostel about 10 minutes’ walk from the Duomo, with private and dormitory rooms plus dinner and breakfast included. Babila Hostel & Bistrot is another good central option with both private rooms and dorms, breakfast included.

For mid-range, Rooms Milano Duomo is a well-reviewed 3-star property two minutes’ walk from the Duomo, and Hotel Bristol is a solid choice right by Milan Central Station if you’re arriving by train.

Stepping up, Brunelleschi Hotel is a good-value 4-star just moments from the Duomo with breakfast included. Matilde Boutique Hotel is a very well-rated 4-star boutique hotel, also near the Duomo, with an on-site restaurant and bar. Room Mate Giulia is another highly rated and central 4-star with modern rooms.

For a splurge, Galleria Vik Milano is a 5-star hotel inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II itself, with some rooms looking out over the gallery.

 

Day Trips from Milan

Milan’s location and rail connections make it a great base for day trips. We’ve enjoyed trips to Lake Como, Lake Garda, and several surrounding towns and cities when we’ve stayed here.

Italy has an excellent high-speed rail network, so you can easily reach Verona, Bologna, Turin, or Modena in under 90 minutes by train. One of our favourite day trips is Lake Como, where you can hop between picturesque lakefront villages on the ferry.

If you’d prefer an organised tour with transport and a guide, here are some good options:

Lake Como, Bellagio, and Varenna with a cruise on the lake. The Bernina Express through the Swiss Alps to St. Moritz. Lake Como, Bellagio, and Lugano with a lake cruise. Cinque Terre from Milan. Verona and Lake Garda with a boat tour. And Genoa and Portofino with a sail boat ride.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need in Milan?

Two days is ideal for the main highlights. You can cover the Last Supper, the Duomo, the Galleria, and the Navigli district in one full day, then use a second day for the Castello Sforzesco museums, Brera, shopping, and the Shoah Memorial. If you have a third day, a day trip to Lake Como is a great use of it.

Is Milan worth visiting?

Yes, though it’s a different experience from Rome or Florence. Milan isn’t as immediately photogenic, but it has world-class art (the Last Supper alone is worth the trip), excellent food, a fantastic cathedral, and an evening aperitivo scene that’s hard to beat. It also makes a great base for exploring northern Italy, with Lake Como, Verona, and the Alps all within easy reach.

Do you need to book Last Supper tickets in advance?

Yes, you do. Only 40 people are allowed in per 15-minute slot, and individual tickets on the official site often sell out months ahead. If tickets are sold out for your dates, your best option is to book a guided tour that includes Last Supper access, as tour operators have a separate ticket allocation. We visited as part of a TakeWalks tour and it worked perfectly.

What is the best area to stay in Milan?

For first-time visitors, staying near the Duomo gives you the most convenient access to the main sights. The area around Milan Central Station is a good budget option with easy transport links. If you prefer a more local feel with restaurants and nightlife, look at accommodation in or near the Navigli district.

Is Milan expensive?

Milan is one of Italy’s more expensive cities, especially for accommodation and dining near the main tourist areas. You can keep costs down by eating away from the Duomo, using public transport (a day pass is €7.60), and taking advantage of free attractions like the Castello Sforzesco grounds, Parco Sempione, and many of the churches. A city pass can also save money if you’re visiting multiple paid attractions.

 

Further Reading

We’ve visited Italy many times and have explored lots of the cities and regions the country has to offer. Here are some more posts we think you’ll find useful for planning your trip.

We have a guide to spending 2 days in Milan if you’d like a more structured itinerary. If you’re visiting Rome, we have guides for 1 day in Rome, 2 days in Rome, and 3 days in Rome, as well as a guide to things to do in Rome in general.

We also have a guide to Florence and tips for a day in Venice. Our detailed 10-day Italy itinerary can help you plan a longer trip, and we also have a 2-week Europe itinerary if you’re looking to see more of the continent. If you’re visiting Milan in summer, read our tips for visiting a European city in summer.

And that’s it for our guide to things to do in Milan! As always, if you have any questions or comments, just pop them in the comments section below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.